It seems like every time any press happens about podcasting the same shows are mentioned (Marc Maron, This American Life, Nerdist, 995 Invisible, Radiolab). These are all good shows, but there are great shows created in people's closets, dining rooms, without a staff of 18 behind them, they deserve the spotlight as well. So here are some podcasts I listen to, and why.

Red Podcast

According to their website, “The focus of RED Podcast is to help you reach, expand, and develop your audience. If you’re a blogger, podcaster, speaker, marketer, non-fiction author, and other creative entrepreneur who wants more impact, influence, and income, this podcast is for you.'

It's always well thought out, and the other thing I like about it is I don't always agree with him. It's a different point of view, and if I'm going to grow as a person and marketer, I need to be open to fresh ideas. In the end, it makes me think.

Leaning Toward Wisdom

This is a hard podcast to describe, and that's a good thing. The tagline is Modern Tales of Ancient Pursuit. Host Randy Cantrell walks you through your own mindset as you ponder what you are, where your going , and why. In between thought provoking segments Randy plays music that ties in with the theme of the show. As I just found this podcast, I have gone back and download a ton of old episodes. After dinner, I go down to a lake by my apartment, walk around and listen to Randy and he makes me think. He makes me go, “hmmmmm.” While other podcasts give me insights into other people, this podcast helps me gain insights into me. I've only listened to a few, but I really like the episode about Being a Buffalo and knowing what is wrong.

The Computer Tutor

Scott Johnson produces this show. I love this show because it's quick. Scott comes in, gives a tip for your computer or some cool website stuff and gets out. He uses the podcast to promote his computer repair business without making it a giant commercial. He has all sorts of hacks and shortcuts. I think one of my favorites is when I go to a website that has me go through page after page instead of giving me one long page to scroll down. Scott pointed out that if you click on the print button, this typically puts all the information on one page (even if I don't want to print it). An example of his show is “The key to hit when your lost in Windows 8 or Windows 10.”

No Agenda Show

This show will change the way you watch television. I know now I see so many “news” stories that are commercials. Hosts Adam Curry (you know the guy who helped invent podcasting), and John C. Divorak (well-known tech writer who has a background in everything) dissect the media. The really cool thing is they harness the power of a global audience and get lots of different viewpoints that you just don't get from a US only view. Case in point, there for a while there were tons of stories about how trains were good and planes were bad. These seem to always run on NBC. Who owns NBC? General Electric. What do they make? Trains. In reality, the stuff they talk about on this show is what the news should be talking about on the news, but instead, we get Kardashian updates and stories of another athlete flunking a drug test. Meanwhile, congress is doing all sorts of nasty stuff. This isn't conspiracy theory tin foil hat stuff either. It's amazing to watch them predict the news, and watch it come true.

The show is long, but always entertaining (lots of jingles and its fun listening to John try to pronounce countries). The content is so valuable that they have people on a weekly basis giving them thousands of dollars in donations. Their shows notes are super detailed, and this is the kind of information you want to share with your friends. Check it out at www.noagendashow.com

Faith Family Church Audio Podcast

This is not your Grandpa's sermon. Pastor Mike Cameneti explained in one “teaching” (he doesn't use the word sermon) how he previously to put Acid on his eyelids as a teenager. So if you want to learn about God, and more importantly how the Bible can be used in your day to day life (without being Joel Osteen's Happy Jesus Man routine) then check out this podcast. Full disclosure, this is the church I go to, but it's also the reason I go to it. It's Bible based teaching, that makes me think and I can use in my life to be a better person.